The NBA playoff second round features matchups including the Knicks vs. 76ers and Pistons vs. Cavaliers in the East, and Thunder vs. Lakers and Spurs vs. Timberwolves in the West. Key players like Luka Dončić and Anthony Edwards are dealing with injuries.
Key points
NBA playoff second round is underway
Knicks face 76ers and Pistons face Cavaliers in the East
Thunder swept their first-round series
Luka Dončić is recovering from a hamstring injury
Anthony Edwards has a left knee bone bruise
Mentioned in this story
Luka DončićAnthony Edwards
New York KnicksPhiladelphia 76ersDetroit PistonsCleveland Cavaliers
NBA playoff second-round predictions: How will each series play out?
It took three Game 7s and three series that ended in six, but the first round of the NBA playoffs have wrapped up, which means the conference semifinals are already upon us.
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Here’s a look at each conference semifinal series, with a prediction for each:
Moondog performs during the first quarter of game one in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Arena.
A member of the Cleveland Cavaliers Scream Team performs during a time out during the second half of game one in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena.
Cleveland Brows player Myles Garrett riles up the crowd during the first half of game one between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena.
A fan waves a towel during the second half of game one between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena.
Fans arrive to watch warmups before game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena.
1 / 5
NBA playoffs fans, dancers, cheerleaders and mascots bring the energy
Moondog performs during the first quarter of game one in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Arena.
1 / 5
NBA playoffs fans, dancers, cheerleaders and mascots bring the energy
Moondog performs during the first quarter of game one in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Arena.
2 / 5
NBA playoffs fans, dancers, cheerleaders and mascots bring the energy
A member of the Cleveland Cavaliers Scream Team performs during a time out during the second half of game one in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena.
3 / 5
NBA playoffs fans, dancers, cheerleaders and mascots bring the energy
Cleveland Brows player Myles Garrett riles up the crowd during the first half of game one between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena.
4 / 5
NBA playoffs fans, dancers, cheerleaders and mascots bring the energy
A fan waves a towel during the second half of game one between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena.
5 / 5
NBA playoffs fans, dancers, cheerleaders and mascots bring the energy
Fans arrive to watch warmups before game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena.
Eastern Conference
No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers
This 76ers team is not only peaking at the right moment, they actually look like legitimate threats. As long as Joel Embiid is playing the way he has since returning from his appendectomy, Philadelphia will have an argument. Embiid’s size and scoring ability makes him a nightmare to defend. It also stresses Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns and demands a big series from backup center Mitchell Robinson.
For as good as Philadelphia has been, however, New York has been even better. After the Knicks went down 2-1 in the first round against the Hawks, the Knicks used Towns as the anchor of their offense. OG Anunoby had a massive series, and New York’s trio of Anunoby, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges make their defense versatile and tough to crack.
The pick: Knicks in 7
No. 1 Detroit Pistons vs. No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers
Detroit, frankly, didn’t play its best series and had a few limitations exposed in its seven-game series against the Orlando Magic. For one, the Pistons struggle when their outside shots don’t drop. For another, it became clear that All-Star point guard Cade Cunningham needs more help; as the playoffs continue, he alone cannot carry Detroit. And, finally, the Pistons will need more from their other All-Star, center Jalen Duren, who struggled to impact games early in the series.
Many of the same issues above could be said about the Cavaliers, who also needed seven games to dispatch their first-round opponent, the Toronto Raptors. Cleveland struggled with turnovers for much of the series, and Donovan Mitchell had good games, but not great ones. Cleveland will need him to be stellar, especially if Mitchell is to upend the narrative that he can’t go deep in the postseason.
The pick: Pistons in 6
Western Conference
No. 2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves
This might be the toughest series to project, simply because it’s unclear how much Anthony Edwards will be available with his left knee bone bruise. The Timberwolves did announce that Edwards was cleared for on-court basketball activities, so the news is positive on that front. If Edwards isn’t able to play, however, it will be tough sledding for Minnesota, even though its defense was exceptional against the Nuggets and even though role players like Jaden McDaniels stepped up in a big way.
Either way, this series will depend on the matchup between the two countrymen, Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs and Rudy Gobert of the Timberwolves. Gobert was superb against Denver Nuggets all-world center Nikola Jokić, and he’ll need to be even better against Wembanyama. Protecting the paint is essential, and San Antonio’s speed in the backcourt will be tough to navigate. One other element to watch here is San Antonio’s relative inexperience in the playoffs. The Timberwolves, meanwhile, have made consecutive conference finals appearances.
The pick: Timberwolves in 7
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers
The issue for the Lakers is the ongoing absence of All-Star guard Luka Dončić. Without him, LeBron James had to take on a massive role against the Houston Rockets. And, despite his age, he delivered. The Lakers did stumble in the middle of the Houston series, so finding ways to keep James fresh will be crucial. The return of Austin Reaves was big, and Lakers role players like Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura played some of their best hoops of the year in the first round.
But, the tough part for the Lakers is that they’re running into an absolute buzzsaw in the Thunder. The only team to sweep in the first round, Oklahoma City is poised, focus and now has the understanding of what it takes to win a title. The Thunder are deep, explosive and play some of the most aggressive on-ball defense in the NBA. They’re balanced and have role players that would be stars on other teams.
